“Every night I learn something new”: Zaccharie Risacher on his steady ascent, blooming chemistry with Trae Young  [EXCLUSIVE]

Zaccharie Risacher didn't land on a rebuilding team with time to develop at his own pace. Drafted to play alongside All-Star guard Trae Young, the No. 1 overall pick was thrust into the Atlanta Hawks’ starting lineup from Day 1, expected to contribute for a team pushing to win now. At 19 years old, Risacher has embraced the challenge, emerging as a key piece for a team well in the mix to earn a postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

Through 66 games, the No. 1 overall pick averages 12.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He’s elevated his play in March, producing 14.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists over 13 games. He’s shooting 52.7% from the field, 38.4% from 3-point range on 5.6 attempts per game, and 71.4% from the free-throw line.

When asked to reflect on his progression this season, Risacher pointed to a steady learning process and daily work benefits.

“I think it's probably that I'm getting more comfortable every game,” Risacher told Sportskeeda. “Last year I feel like my defensive side improved. I feel like my offensive side improved. My shooting improved. I'm working on a lot of stuff during the whole season. I'm just getting more comfortable. Every night I learn something new, and that's great, especially as a rookie.”

Behind that comfort has been consistent development work, much of it guided by assistant coach Ryan Schmidt. The Hawks staff has prioritized player development daily, and Risacher credits Schmidt with being hands-on since training camp.

“The whole coaching staff is great. We're working hard,” Risacher told Sportskeeda. “I'm working a lot with Ryan Schmidt. He's the one who's taking care of my development. We're working really hard together, and I feel like he's maybe the one who helped me the most during this journey.”

Risacher may be the youngest player on Atlanta’s roster, but he’s quickly gained the trust of his veteran teammates, and that support system has been a key part of his adjustment.

“I feel like we have a great group,” Risacher said. “I have great teammates, and I feel free to ask questions all the time. They give me really interesting answers every time, so it's kind of hard to name just one person. We have a great group.”

One relationship that’s helped accelerate his comfort level is with Young. Risacher and Young built chemistry in Atlanta’s two-man game from the preseason on, with Risacher spacing the floor and finishing around the rim when defenses collapsed on the Hawks’ All-Star.

“He's a great player and he's a great passer,” Risacher said. “Since Day 1, we talked. It was pretty clear that I just have to be in the right spot to make sure I open the gap so he can pass me the ball and get easy buckets.

"We were talking a lot before the season, during the preseason, and I feel like it's a great fit. I can finish around the rim, I can shoot the threes, and he creates really well. So yeah, he just fits.”

Young has returned the praise — and gone further — by endorsing Risacher’s candidacy for Rookie of the Year:

“He should be, in my eyes, and I’m not saying it because I’m biased, but I think (he) should be Rookie of the Year. What he’s been doing this year, he’s been thrown into the fire as a starter. You put him up against some of the guys in the running. I think his numbers speak for himself, too."

Since Atlanta’s midseason shakeup, Risacher has been surrounded by veteran additions who complement his development. Players like Georges Niang, Caris LeVert and Terance Mann have brought leadership and experience, and their presence has helped ease the load on the Hawks' younger core.

“I feel like they bring a lot to our team. It feels like we've been playing with them since day one,” Risacher told Sportskeeda. “They fit perfectly to our philosophy. We’ve found great chemistry together. They bring a lot of things — energy, skills.

"They’re just as great off the court as they are on it. It's never easy to get traded and join a new group, a new team, in a new city, but I feel like they handled it really well and helped us from the beginning."

One of those voices has been Niang, who has leaned into a leadership role since arriving in Atlanta. Known as a vocal presence throughout his NBA career, Niang sees mentorship as essential to the league’s growth and the progress of young players like Risacher. It's common to see Niang, a sharpshooter who has played a role on various winning teams, sharing insights with Risacher during drills.

“I think it’s extremely important,” Niang told Sportskeeda. “I wouldn’t know what I didn’t know if it wasn’t for Joe Ingles, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Rodney Stuckey, or Tobias Harris, all those guys that have helped me along the way where you're like, ‘Oh, I never looked at it that way.’

"Whenever I have a piece of knowledge that I want to share and maybe I think that'll help, I definitely try and do that. … The ones who are willing to learn are the ones who usually progress and reach their full potential.”

That willingness to learn has been evident to head coach Quin Snyder, who cited Risacher’s work ethic for his sustained improvement this season.

“The way that Zach has shot like 2,000 shots since September,” Snyder told Sportskeeda. “There are some things he’s doing with his feet that are different. His balance is better, and he’s maintained his confidence, and I think that’s a credit to him. It’s also a credit to the guys on our staff who want him to be aggressive.”

Risacher has emerged as a core piece alongside third-year guard Dyson Daniels and fifth-year center Onyeka Okongwu. Daniels has become one of the NBA’s premier perimeter defenders, averaging 13.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and a league-leading 3.1 steals. Okongwu has also played a consistent role in the frontcourt, averaging 13.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

Daniels has noted Risacher’s contributions on both ends of the floor and the long-term potential they represent. The Hawks have benefited from Risacher's willingness to do the little things on both ends while displaying further upside to be a more dynamic player, especially when his shot is falling.

“He does all the little things really well,” Daniels told Sportskeeda. “He sprints back on defense, gets a lot of chase-down blocks, and on offense, he’s shooting the ball really well. He can get to the rim and finish with both hands. He’s got length, he’s got size, and he’s so young.

"He’s only going to get better and learn the game more. I’m excited to see where he goes. His ceiling is so high, and he works super hard, which will only benefit him.”

For Snyder, the team’s evolution throughout the season has provided unexpected opportunities, which Risacher has seized. While Atlanta is motivated to win now, Snyder has conveyed an understanding that mistakes will naturally occur as part of development, but Risacher, like Daniels, has continued to step up:

“They’re going to make mistakes, they’re young, and that’s part of the process. We may not have anticipated those guys being in some of the situations they’re in. Whether it’s injury or trade, as the roster evolves, there have been opportunities for them, and they’ve stepped up in those situations. It’s good to see.”

Atlanta is playing without Jalen Johnson due to a season-ending shoulder injury, so Risacher and Daniels have been required to take on a heavier offensive workload. Johnson averaged 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in 36 games before his season ended.

Atlanta is highly intrigued by what it can achieve when Johnson returns next season as Risacher and Daniels continue to develop.

Risacher’s journey is rooted in something more profound than draft position or early-season expectations. His love for the game traces back to his father, Stéphane Risacher, a French basketball legend who competed across Europe and earned a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games.

“My dad is the one who inspired me the most,” Risacher told Sportskeeda. “He put a basketball in my hands when I was a little kid. Since that day, I just wanted to do like him, be like him. He was my inspiration when I was growing up. Now I’m glad I can do my own path, but still follow that inspiration.”

Stéphane Risacher was a six-time French League All-Star, the 1997 All-Star Game MVP, and a member of the French national team who reached the Sydney podium. Over a pro career that spanned over two decades, he won domestic titles in France, Greece and Spain, competed in eight EuroLeague seasons, and was inducted into the French Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

As Atlanta surges into the season’s final stretch, Zaccharie Risacher makes a name of his own — one rep, one game and one lesson at a time.